What Happened
A Southampton man faces felony and misdemeanor charges — including allegations that he fled the scene — after New York State Police say he crashed his boat into a stone jetty in Sag Harbor Bay late Monday night, seriously injuring two passengers aboard his vessel.
Newsday reported that Sag Harbor Village police received a call at 10:07 p.m. Monday that a boat had struck the jetty in Sag Harbor Bay. The operator, identified by state police as Peter Mangiameli, 57, of Southampton, was piloting a 2023 35-foot cruise boat from the bay into the harbor when the vessel struck the stone jetty. Police described the damage to the boat as “significant.”
There were eight passengers aboard the vessel at the time of the crash. Two of those passengers suffered serious injuries and were transported to a hospital for treatment. According to Newsday, the injuries sustained included a broken rib, a leg fracture, and a vertebrae fracture. The identities of the two injured passengers were not released by police. Their conditions remained unknown as of Tuesday.
After the collision, police say Mangiameli docked the boat — but then left the scene while those two passengers were still receiving medical attention. It was not immediately clear who ultimately notified police of the crash.
Sag Harbor Village police, after taking the initial report, requested the assistance of the New York State Police, which dispatched investigators from its Bureau of Criminal Investigation to take over the inquiry. That investigation led to Mangiameli’s arrest and the filing of multiple charges.
Location & Road Context
The crash occurred at the jetty in Sag Harbor Bay, the navigational entry point from open bay waters into Sag Harbor’s inner harbor on the East End of Long Island. The jetty — a stone structure designed to guide vessel traffic — is a well-traveled passage, particularly during summer months when recreational boating on the East End is at its peak. Sag Harbor sits within the Town of Southampton and is a popular destination for boaters traveling the South Shore and Peconic Bay waters. For more on local marine incidents and road conditions in the East End area, see our Long Island accidents archive.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Mangiameli was charged with a substantial array of counts following the state police investigation, according to Newsday. The charges include:
- Reckless operation of a vessel (a violation)
- Failure to report an accident involving personal injury (a felony)
- Second-degree assault for recklessly causing serious physical injury
- Third-degree assault
- Second-degree reckless endangerment
- Failure to provide identification as a vessel operator
- Multiple violations of New York State navigation law
The failure-to-report charge — a felony — stems from Mangiameli’s alleged departure from the scene while injured passengers were still being tended to. Arraignment details were not immediately available as of Tuesday. It was also not immediately clear whether Mangiameli had retained or been assigned legal counsel.
State police said the investigation remained ongoing. Anyone who witnessed the crash or has additional information was asked to contact investigators at 631-756-3300.
Broader Impact
The felony charge of failure to report an accident involving personal injury reflects New York State’s strict obligations under navigation law — boat operators are legally required to remain at the scene and render assistance in the same way motor vehicle operators are required under the state’s traffic law. Under New York Penal Law, a second-degree assault conviction — the most serious charge Mangiameli faces — carries a potential sentence of up to seven years in state prison. Separately, Newsday has reported that boating accidents on Long Island fell 34% following the enactment of a new state boating safety law, though Monday night’s crash underscores that serious incidents continue to occur on the region’s busy summer waterways.